...On John Olerud, Throws Mientkiewicz Under the Bus a Bit,And Makes a Heartfelt Statement to the Nation.

5.31 Kevin Millar sit-down with the press (paraphrased excerpts from WEEI): Thatís just part of the business. Somebody thought he needed to be here. Iíve been a fan of John Olerud since I was in college and he was winning batting titles. John Olerud and myself is better than just myself at this time. He's a professional and I can learn a lot from him.

There's no right or wrong here. There's no 'who's better?' From Day One I've given everything I have to the Red Sox. None of this is for lack of effort. Ever. And there are other things you can bring to a team beside what shows up on the back of a baseball card. You want to know whoís backing you when things arenít going your way. Everyone's behind you when you're hitting home runs. The true test is whoís on your side when things arenít going your way, and I know my manager is on my side, and that feels good, so I've given my all since day one. The fans are behind me. How could they not be? People are behind me. But because I'm not doing good, people felt they gotta make a move. I've been scrapping at the plate, two home runs, but I did this last year and the patience paid off. Hey, the same guy's at first base.

Itís just like Edgar Renteria, Jekyll and Hyde, the fans were booing him, and now are loving him. If I'm 2-for-3, 3-for-4, 3-for-5 -- he's breaking out! It's the same (expletive), not rocket science. I've been booed before. I will be sitting down some games, no doubt about it. A day here and there will make the team better. I can sit behind John Olerud. There's a difference of a track record there. I learned from John Olerud. I'm mean, Doug Mientkiewicz, I love him to death. But that was my point. I don't think we were upgrading with him.

Doug and I are kidders. Last year was a different situation. I had gotten hot before he had come. This was not a jab, this was just (expletive). Doug and I are friends. He'll laugh when he hears it, or he should. He knows me.

When they bring in Troy Glaus up here, you'll be answering the same questions (after Bill Mueller chimed in).

I'll be all right. Olerud was a good signing, even if I were hot. Heís a veteran guy, had a great career, this guy can hit. Heís a nice guy, heís a guy you learn from. Heís a guy who won a gold glove. He won a batting title. This is good stuff. This isnít like a big controversy in this clubhouse. Iím fine, Iím okay. As much as you guys want to see me blow up, last year, yeah youíre gonna see that. I didnít think that was an upgrade. This is definitely a situation that makes our club better. Iím here to win. This isnít about Kevin Millar and the selfishness. Iíve never been selfish. Iíve been here day one, Iíve given everything I got to my teammates, my clubhouse, this city, the media, this team. Thatís one thing you guys canít say. Iím here everyday. Sometimes the results arenít what I want, or what the fans want but itís not lack of effort. From day one, Iíve given you everything I have, and Iím still going to do that. This is definitely an upgrade to our team.

The open stance was obviously something that Iíve never done and it worked last year for a couple of weeks. It worked 6-7 weeks and it was great, but Iím going back to just hitting like I hit before. Hopefully it clicks in and it works. But Iím basically just making my stance regular old bob, little bit of a bat whiffle, a little bit of a leap with the front hip, hopefully launch over the green monster, but last year was something that I had to make an adjustment, it just worked and it went off. This year, itís been tough to find that same thing and I think itís just odd because I donít hit open. I did last year for that short of time but all the way through the Florida days, and a couple of years in a row I hit .300, I didnít hit open.

The
proprietor of my favorite breakfast haunt, ďErnieísĒ in Melrose reminds me
that the customers donít open to the paper to read about filibusters, war,
or pressing social issues, they read the gossip column and sports.

Media Envy.
A natural tension exists between broadcast media and print media, which now
includes mainstream journalism, web destinations (www.bostondirtdogs.com
being a flourishing one), and the cottage industry of blogging. Needless to
say, no MCAS or SAT standards restrain any of the above. Once upon a time,
ďrealĒ journalists skewered Rotisserie players (wannabes) and continue to
lambaste the ĎInternet geeksí, as though they own the ďsports thoughtĒ
franchise. WEEI, as sports Ďthink tankí as it were.

Both sets of media educate, inform, and
entertain their audiences. We also have to ask where to draw the line among
news reporting, rumor, innuendo, and character assassination. This week, one
of the more outspoken WEEI commentators replied that if he were going to get
inside information, heíd go
to ESPN Insider, not Dirt Dogs, the implication being that most Internet
sites have neither scoops nor reliable data. Peter Gammons defended the
site; he correctly reportedthat overseer Steve Silva has numerous sources both within and
outside the sports world. Time has proven Mr. Silva right on numerous
occasions, from the extent of player injuries to obscure signings from
Japan.

You want economy; you
have to pay for it.
Athletes, like other celebrities, sacrifice elements of privacy in exchange
for the oversized salaries they earn. Some perform better for the media than
they do on the field, which can enhance their popularity, prolong their
careers, and even lead to broadcasting careers (e.g. Steve Lyons).

ďBaseball isnít a matter
of life or death, itís a lot more important than that.Ē Monster seats
donít go for $999 on eBay because of a lack of interest. Yogi Berra was
right, ďthat place is so busy that
nobody goes there anymore.Ē When people care enough to spend
weeksí salary on entertainment, they care about playersí health, players'
weight, Wonderlic scores, and whether they get enough rest. The average
shoeshine boy in Boston knows about rotator cuff and labrum tears, and the
fragility of the ulnar collateral ligament. When people talk about mechanics
around here, itís as likely to be about arm slot or throwing across their
body as about auto repairs. So if Dirt Dogs reports that Keith Foulke may have visited
Dr. James Andrewsí shop in Alabama, fans want to know if heís
hurting. Do they have a right to know? Iím not sure, but Mr. Foulke clearly
understands that heís not Ďjust plain folkí around here. Heís sports royalty
and his subjects Ďneed to knowí.

Internet paparazzi?
Unwritten rules do protect the athletes from themselves, too. The national
focus on performance-enhancing drugs abrogates that limit, but many others
exist. You donít hear or read about athletesí philandering or sometimes
overindulgence in the Ďworship of Bacchusí, because itís simply off-limits.
By the time we know a problem exists, you can be sure the playersí families,
front office, teammates, clubhouse attendants, parking lot guys, and peanut
vendors know it.

It
happens.
Publicizing playersí ethical challenges doesnít serve anybodyís benefit,
and are ordinarily handled in house. A former Patriot player told me that
Ray Berry was a fantastic coach because of his skill in handling not only
football responsibilities but also off-field issues, ironic considering the
scandal erupting after Super Bowl XX. Sometimes a player gets a positive
reputation for being a standup guy in dealing with the media (e.g. Jim
Riceís accountability when negative performance affected the outcome of a
game) or by virtue of being a solid citizen away from home. Roger Clemens,
whatever your take, always carried a reputation as being the straightest
arrow in the quiver.

Humbling profession.
Iím not talking about baseball. ďWhatís
the difference between God and surgeons? God doesnít think heís a surgeon.Ē
The most successful doctors thrive off the triad and truism of
accessibility, affability, and ability. Doctor Bert Zarins has maintained a
good reputation with the Patriots in the background. Dr. Bill Morganís
medical stewardship of the Sox ran aground. Physicians
arenít any different than anybody else with respect to personal lives and
frailty. I donít know if there have been any physician saints since Cosmas
and Damian. How Dr. Thomas Gillís tenure goes with the Red Sox may not
necessarily depend on his skill, but his luck, too. Medicine isnít nearly as
exact a science as people want to believe, and ĎHouseí
is as typical a doctor as John Rocker was a typical relief pitcher.

Turf wars. A
turf war for Ďeyesí reigns just as much in the media world as it does in the
sports world. Sports radio has a loyal and demanding audience, and mostly
gives the fans what they want. Weíre fortunate not only to have fascinating
teams to follow but passionate sports journalism in Boston, too. Attempts to
lessen the credibility of print media, even ĎInternet geeksí diminishes only
the critics. As my son reminded me when he was in high school, ďitís OK,
Dad, geeks rule the world.Ē Just ask John Henry; Iím sure heíd agree.

"Keith Foulke took last Monday's off-day to go see Dr. Glen Fleisig and the staff at ASMI in Birmingham for an evaluation of his delivery. Because ASMI is in conjuncton with Dr. James Andrews, there were reports that Foulke was having shoulder problems. Foulke would not discuss it. "Every player has the right to privacy," said one Sox official. "Most of our pitchers go there at some point each year." Why not? Fleisig might be one of the best practicioners of pitching biomechanics in the world." -- 5.28 Gammons Notes, ESPN.com

You Cannot Have Embree Face Sheffield with the Game on the Line. Period.The Entire City of Boston Knew Sheff Would Crush One Tito, Why Didn't You? Where Was Mantei? Where Was Timlin?Forget Sveum, That's Bad Baserunning. This One's on Tito.''That's a little early to start mixing and matching. Alan's had success vs. those guys."
-- FranconaNO, IT'S NOT TOO EARLY. THAT WAS THE CRITICAL INNING. THAT WAS THE BALLGAME. THAT WAS THE TIME TO MAKE A MOVE.Wrong Number Tito: It's not Sheff's career 1-for-6, it's Embree's 6 home runs

KF: ďI tried to tell everybody, you know what? Unfortunately for the way Iím pitching there is no health issue. Thereís some stuff I had to take care of. End of story."

On talking to people about his mechanics in Alabama:

KF: ďThatís one of those deals where thatís kind of where the story ends. No, thereís no health issue. Thereís nothing wrong with me physically. Mentally thatís a different story. But thatís kind of the end of the story right there."

"According to clubhouse sources, Sox ace Curt Schilling visited with team owner John Henry recently to express clubhouse dissatisfaction with the team's new medical staff. ...Privately, at least, players have expressed some frustration about daily accessibility to Gill and about a lack of communication. One clubhouse source said players were amused when Schilling was given the broad range of 2-12 weeks for recovery from his latest ankle ailment, calling the assessment a ``cover your (butt)'' diagnosis." -- 5.26.05 Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti

"According to sources, Schilling was told roughly a month ago that he could need up to 12 weeks to recover from an ankle ailment that forced him to the disabled list on April 29. Based on that time frame, Schilling could be out until the middle or end of July." -- 5.26.05 Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti

Lucchino Says Foulke Traveled to Get a ĎFix on Some Mechanical Issuesí

Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino addressed the Foulke situation this morning in his weekly appearance on WEEIís Dennis and Callahan.Gerry Callahan: ďAre you concerned, and do you even know the state of your closer physically, mentally? Do you know where he was Monday?

Larry Lucchino: Ah yes we do. We know where he was Monday. We know he was traveling to try to get a fix on some mechanical issues. Thereís no physical issue that Iím aware of. But sure, youíre concerned. No team wins in this day and age without an effective closer. Keith Foulke was a very effective closer for us last year and has been for several years. So of course youíre concerned about it, but we have a lot of faith in the guy and heís gonna work himself through whatever mechanical issues he has and it is essential for that to happen because without a bullpen, without a closer, youíre gonna find yourself watching in October. ÖWe donít want to have a backup plan, we think Keith Foulke is the plan. We do have Matt Mantei by the way who has closed for two teams in baseball in Florida and in Arizona and he is a guy with plenty of closer experience as well but I donít think weíre ever gonna have to get to that.

In contrast to Michael Silverman's rant on the Red Sox pre-game show Wednesday night, the Boston Herald is now reporting that Foulke went to ASMI in Birmingham to have his pitching mechanics analyzed. A Sons of Sam Horn member posted that Keith's and A's former pitching coach Rick Peterson used ASMI in the past. In a 2003 Baseball Prospectus interview, Peterson talks about working with A's pitchers and mastering a pitcher's delivery through biomechanical research and states "the core of efficient delivery theory comes from the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) lab of Dr. James Andrews."

Sweet Home Cooking Alabama?

In the Boston Globe's notebook, Keith Foulke admits to going to Alabama on Monday but says he did not go to ASMI, but instead went to eat at a barbecue restaurant called "Happy Day" and called the visit a non-issue. When pressed on the spontaneous trip south after the Sox 6-1 loss in Toronto, Foulke said "you're not going to break me."

CBS4 Reports that Foulke Went to Alabama to See Advisor

CBS4's Dan Roche learned through sources on Wednesday that Keith Foulke flew to Alabama on Monday to see a "team-approved advisor" and go over a computer assessment of his pitching mechanics.

Francona Update from the Red Sox Pregame Show

Jerry Trupiano: "There are a lot of reports out there about Keith Foulke not being at that Hall of Fame Game and what have you, can you tell us his status?"

Terry Francona: "Well again, I haven't talked to Foulkey today, I mean there, I kinda heard some of the stuff going on I can tell you right now Foulkey did not go see a doctor. Foulkey's healthy um there are some things between myself, Foulke and Dave Wallace that I'm just not sure how you know... that's Foulkey's business but it certainly wasn't going to see a doctor."

Foulke Signing Rep Was Told the Sox Reliever Was Injured

Boston Dirt Dogs spoke to the autograph signing representative, Jack Berke, who confirmed that he was told Foulke "was injured" and that was the reason the Sox reliever did not make the trip to Cooperstown. When Berke was told that Doubleday Clubhouse Shop owner Ron Brown said Berke told him Foulke cancelled his signing appearance because he had to "fly to Alabama to have his arm checked," Berke replied "that's what I was told." When asked who told him that Foulke was injured, Berke replied "I'm not going to reveal that" and would only reveal that he was told Foulke would not make the trip to Cooperstown "because he was injured." When asked if Foulke did indeed make the trip to Alabama, Berke replied "you'll have to call the Red Sox to get that information." The New York City based Berke, who has promoted athlete autograph appearances in the past, said that he is an agent who works with Dan Horwitz, Foulke's agent from the Beverly Hills Sports Council in California. On Sunday, Berke passed the Foulke injury report on to Ron Brown, who was to host the autograph signing at his Cooperstown store. Brown passed the information on to the fans who showed up to the cancelled signing. According to the Hartford Courant, Foulke accused Jack Berke of "making stuff up" and wishes he didn't open his mouth saying "He doesn't need to be going out telling everybody what my business is. If he has all the answers, call him back up. I just don't like having my [business] put out there by someone that I've met one time."

Foulke Says He Did Not Fly to Alabama on Monday,Cooperstown Store Owner Stands By Comments from Foulke Rep

Keith Foulke told WEEI's Dale and Holley on Wednesday that he did not go to Alabama on Monday. Boston Dirt Dogs spoke again to Ron Brown, owner of The Factory Store in Cooperstown where Foulke was contracted to appear on Monday, who said "I've known Jack (Berke) a long time and I don't think he would make that up. Somebody's pulling a fib here but I have no reason to be pulling a fib. Maybe he didn't go (to Alabama), but the agent miscommunicated. Maybe he didn't want to show, or come to Cooperstown, but the event is over and done. That's what I heard and that's what I told people."

Francona Talks About Foulke's Practice Sessions, Health

Sox manager Terry Francona told WEEI's Dale and Holley on Wednesday that "we were going to get Foulke up too (in the bullpen last night) just in case the bases were loaded." When asked if Foulke's arm was healthy, Francona replied "yeah, oh yeah, he's healthy. Every bullpen session, and believe me, we try to, I mean the last thing I want to do is panic, or show panic to the players, but we have an obligation to, when things aren't going the way we want them to, or expect them to, to find out why. And his bullpen sessions, every time he comes out of there, we say 'this guy's throwing the ball great.' And if you watch him throw before BP, like all the pitchers do down the right field line, his arm strength is, I'm gonna say it's better than it's been in a while. So that's not it. We check on those things. Um, it's mechanical and he's had some inconsistencies in his mechanics which I think he says he does. And we gotta get him back to where he can go out and be consistent, and not change from outing to outing, and he's having a tough time with that right now... From taking the ball out of the glove until release point, he's inconsistent right now, he can't find it on a consistent basis, and he's frustrated, and he has a little bit of peculiar take away anyway so getting that into a consistent slot has been difficult for him." Keith Foulke was an excused no-show for Monday's Hall of Fame game against the Tigers but no reason was given for his absence. Foulke was with the team at the Rogers Centre in Toronto last night, but did not pitch in the 9-6 loss.

Boston Dirt Dogs had learned on Monday night that an autograph signing appearance featuring Keith Foulke at The Factory Store Outlet in Cooperstown, NY was cancelled on Sunday. The appearance was scheduled for earlier in the day and according to the store owner, Foulke's signing representative said the Sox closer had to cancel because he had to "fly to Alabama to see a doctor to have his arm checked." Ron Brown, owner of The Factory Store and Doubleday Clubhouse Shop in Cooperstown, NY, told us that Foulke's signing representative Jack Berke called him on Sunday to cancel the scheduled appearance and relayed the comment about the Alabama visit then. Christine Fitch of Cooperstown, one fan who purchased a $45.00 ticket last Friday to see Foulke on Monday, showed up at The Factory Store Monday expecting to see the Sox pitcher. She told us that when she showed up on Monday and Foulke was a no-show "the owner told me that Keith's agent phoned him and said that Keith was flying to Alabama to see some specialist about Keith's sore arm." A Sons of Sam Horn member also posted a message via a site lurker that the owner told him on Sunday that Foulke "had to cancel at the last minute to go to Alabama to get his shoulder checked out."

Famous Sports Doc Practices in Alabama

Dr. James Andrews, founder of the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) located in Birmingham, Alabama, is the medical director for numerous sports teams and a leading pioneer in sports medicine. At the time of the initial report, it was not known whether Foulke was travelling to Alabama to visit Dr. Andrews. Terry Francona and other sources have since confirmed that Foulke is healthy and did not see a doctor during his trip to Alabama. The Providence Journal reports on Thursday that there was an Internet report that Foulke had gone to Birmingham to "have noted orthopedist James Andrews examine his right shoulder." Art Martone, Sports Editor of the Providence Journal, had posted on several internet message boards Wednesday afternoon that he "just talked to Steve Krasner (ProJo beat writer), who's with the team in Toronto. He said the denials, from all sides, couldn't be more unequivocal: Tito and Foulke and everyone they talk to insist (a) Foulke didn't to go Alabama and (b) isn't injured." Foulke later admitted that he did travel to Alabama.

(U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), center, accompanied by L-R, Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA), Congressman Henry Waxman, (D-CA) and Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN), introduces legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 24, 2005. The bipartisan House and Senate members will introduce the "Clean Sports Act of 2005" in hopes of making sports safer and strengthen the testing procedures and tougher penalties for the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the four major sports / Reuters Photo)

"If the professional leagues had taken action, we would not be here today" -- Sen. John McCain

Breaking News: Lawmakers will introduce a proposal that would set uniform drug standards for the four major U.S. professional team sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) requiring athletes to be tested at least five times a year and suspended for two years for a first violation.

From CNN: "Major League Baseball was going to impose very severe restraints. I'm glad to hear that, but as far as I know there's been no action. As far as I know, what's still on the punishment for the first time infraction is a 10-day suspension or up to a $10,000 fine." -- U.S. Senator John McCain

From CNN: "The Clean Sports Act sets tough minimum standards for what substances and methods must be tested for and for penalties for violation. We ensure that our professional sports will have standards at least as tough as the Olympics." -- U.S. Representative Thomas Davis

From CNN: "We'll get the bill moving rapidly under the leadership of Chairman Davis and Mr. Waxman, hopefully the same thing we'll do in the Senate. And if they don't act, this bill will be law before they have the time to act... This bill is greased. It's going to move rapidly." -- Mark Souder, subcommittee chairman

"Iím surprised. I donít know why he said that. Maybe they want me back or something. Iím done with St. Louis already, and I play with Boston right now. Itís my house right now, my family. I donít feel (special) pressure (here). When I play, I feel pressure everyday to be successful. Thatís why Iím the kind of player I am." -- 5.21.05 Edgar Renteria, New Hampshire Union Leader

CS: ďI felt the way I stated yesterday, I felt that from jump street, but it was a topic of conversation when some other guys read it and I think to a man we all kind of felt the same way. Obviously what I said yesterday has been extrapolated ten-fold here on the drama scale, but I meant it. I really like Tony, heís a great manager. Iíve heard a lot of great things about playing for him. Iíve known him personally. Having said that I stand by what I said yesterday as a far as what I think and how I think that whole time period that he made those comments. I thought there were some issues with that.

Gerry Callahan: He sounds like he feels burned, and I donít necessarily (CS: yeah) blame him. I think he feels like he went to the mat for Renteria in St. Louis and thought he had him.

CS: Yeah, whoever brought that point up yesterday was pretty close to being right. Heís a jilted lover in the sense and from what Iíve heard; Edgar was, they thought he was a lock to go back to St. Louis. And they were disappointed. Itís unfortunate. I donít know if Tony thought about what he was saying before he said it. I would guess, knowing him, that in hind sight looking back on what he said and how itís kind of played out that heís probably not real happy he did it.

He (Edgarís) a high energy guy from a competitive standpoint. He wants to be on a good team. He wants to be in a good situation. And Iím guessing he had that in St. Louis. Iím not sure he came here for the bottom dollar if you talk to him. I think this was just a much more charged atmosphere to play baseball in and I think he enjoys that. I think contrary to what was said, you know thatís the other thing, because Tony said it doesnít make it fact. That doesnít mean thatís exactly how Edgar is. Iím sure he feels that he has a little more insight than most and rightly so but I donít see that in Edgar given what Iíve seen talking to him and dealing with him I see a guy who competitively plays on the edge emotionally. ÖI donít think heís sitting in there saying ĎGod, Iím glad weíre on the road.Ē It is what it is and heís got to get out of it. And fans are gonna be the fans that they normally are until he does. ÖYeah (thereís added pressure) but itís not because of the boos. Itís because youíre not doing what you normally thin you should be doing and youíve got a clubhouse full of guys whose opinion of you is a very big deal. The boos you hear, they do a lot less than people think to most. They absolutely affect people, they affect me. Youíre human. You donít want to be booedÖ You hear it. Thereís just no way you donít hear it but I donít see the effect on guys to the extent that you guys might think that bothers people. ÖIn Boston they boo because youíre not doing what they want you to do and as players you deal with it.

GC: Are you worried that youíll have to go through the same thing with La Russa that you went through with Piniella here. ĎSchilling Lashes Out at La Russaí is the headline on Boston Dirt Dogs this morning, are you afraid you might have to have a little private conversation, phone call with La Russa like you did with Piniella?

CS: IímÖ noÖ could be. I mean I didnít feel like I need to call a psychologist to talk me down yesterday. And I made it clear Iíve always liked Tony. I have a lot of respect for him. I think heís a great guy. I know Tony very well. I see Tony in the wintertime all the time. Thereís some things that happen charity-wise out in Arizona heís always at but I donít think I was even remotely wrong in what I said about where he put Edgar. I think people would agree.

GC: He was very smart about it though which is no surprise heís a smart guy but he didnít beat him over the head with a hammer. It was a very subtle dig and he did set him up, I agree with you I said it before that he put him in a bad spot that he, I donít want to say caused this, but he certainly didnít help matters for his old friend Edgar.

CS: I really didnít see the subtleness. I thought it was very direct, very precise. Thereís only one way to look at that. I mean if youíre not Edgar. How do you look good coming out of that. I think itís impossible unlessÖ especially given the fact, if Edgar had been hitting .320, Tony would never said it.

GC: And saying a guy has no place to hide, implies that heís looking for a place to hide.

Schilling Breaks His SilenceCurt Calls The Big Show and Calls Out Tony La Russa and Some Members of the Media. Listen Here.

On the fans getting on Edgar Renteria

Curt Schilling: I thought that a lot of this stems from the comments that Tony (La Russa) made last week that I think were absolutely totally inappropriate. I think Tony put Edgar in a very bad situation. ÖI love Tony La Russa, but I thought that he put Edgar in a very bad situation. For a player that he talks about caring about so much, I thought he stuck him in a corner there. Iím sure that could play a part of it (Glenn Ordwayís assertion that La Russa was still hurt that Renteria elected to go play in Boston). I would bet that he would probably say Ďno it didnítí but I would imagine that there was some of that there but I just thought it was a really bad situation to put Edgar in coming from a guy who talked about caring about the guy so much. You know, I laugh, I listen to Kevin (Millar), and thatís what makes Kevin such a beautiful guy and in a nutshell kind of describes what you have in this clubhouse. He lay in front of a train for his teammates and we would do the same for each other. Itís one of the things that make the dynamics of our clubhouse so great is that you care so much about what your teammates think about you that you push yourself to do some things or get through some things that maybe you normally wouldnít in another market or in another or area with another group of guys. Edgar knows that every one of usÖ heís gonna be that guy at the end of the year. Heís gonna hit .275. Heís gonna hit between 15 and 25 homers. Heís a gold glove, silver slugging All-Star shortstop. ÖI donít either, I donít either (agreeing with Glenn Ordway that people havenít been harsh on Renteria).

Sean McAdam: Curt can you think of a guy either that you played with in Philadelphia or in Arizona who re-signed with a team or moved to that franchise as a free-agent who had the same problem out of the box, trying to justify the contract?

CS: There was a lot of times in Philadelphia uhhÖ Edgar Renteria would be getting hit by batteries in Philadelphia by now, no question. We get offended when our teammates get booed much more so than I think we get offended when we get booed because we can kind of deal with it ourselves but youíre never sure how your teammates are going to act and react from being booed. I promise you that nobody knows the situation more so than Edgar. And no one is trying harder to get out of that situation and itís, I think a first probably real time that heís struggled and the struggle, given whatís happened, itís natural, itís human. Again, I played against the guy for almost a decade in the national league, all the time that he was over there, 6-7 years. He is what he is. Heís a cream of the crop shortstop whoís had a bad 40 game stretch. ÖAnd add to the fact that there was a lot of magnification of the situation from the media and everybody in general coming in. Heís struggling, no question. Now all eyes are on him, every at-bat, every pitch. Everybodyís got an answer, everybodyís got a solution. Unfortunately for the most part none of those are going to work until Edgar gets over the hump himself. He knows that and we know that and weíre all okay with hit. The great thing about this though is that Theo has built a team to overcome one, two, three, four, five guys hurt or not meeting expectations, and weíve done that.

Schilling needs a new pair of shoes

CS:(On his recovery and timetable for return) I donít know. I donít know, Iím out of the boot, so thatís a positive step. Weíre taking it day by day. Iím in a situation now where my foot is weaker than it was when it got hurt because Iíve been in a boot for three weeks so weíre trying to strengthen it up and get function back into it and at the same time working our butts off to find a way to get somebody out there to build me a shoe that I can actually pitch in because there are issues now, and there have been since spring training, with some of the fine points of my mechanics and one of them is balance which I just cannot seem to get a grasp on right now and I donít think that I will be able to unless I have a shoe that fits and works. Weíve been spending a lot of time, a lot of hours working with different people to have a shoe built that Iím going to be able to throw inÖ (This is a) drastically different (situation). Last October was about stabilizing that joint and the shoe kind of wraps itself. It didnít work, the shoe that Reebok had built, the only reason it didnít work was because of the stitches we put in the ankle. Right now, Iím looking for something, some sort of shoe that can almost artificially balance my foot and balance my body on it almost like a platform type thing. So weíre working on that and thatís kind of coinciding with the work that Chris (Correnti) and I are doing to get the ankle strong again.

On not speaking to the print the media lately

Larry Johnson: Curt can you explain why you are no longer talking to the print media?

CS: Not in a brief period of time, no, but I just havenít really felt that there was a need. I really didnít have anything to offer. Iím as tired of talking as Iím sure people are hearing about it, and about me. Thereís some things that had happened over the last couple of weeks, months and the hard part is as a player you canít pick and choose who you talk to because that becomes a story unto itself and I know guys like SeanÖ Seanís a stand up guy and a guy whoís always been accountable for what heís done but itís just become a situation where there are fewer and fewer people like thatÖ When you canít get something as simple as a quote right (regarding the Lou Piniella situation), the amazing thing that I found out through all this is I find it just ironic that when a newspaper totally butchers a story(Herald notebook said Schilling called Lou Piniella an idiot) the writer tells me personally that itís the editorís fault(Notebook had correction the following day). But that same writer (Michael Silverman) will be the first guy to tell me or another player Ďhey listen, Iíve been writing nice things about you for years.í So when they screw up, itís the editorís fault but when they write nice stuff, itís not the editorís fault. ÖHereís the thing, the radio is really the only chance you have to give-and-take and to not be taken out of context because there is a Q&A session here and this is not something Sean doesnít know, the print media, I donít give short quotes, but you only have so much space in the newspaper so they pick and choose what they want to put. And that comes across wrong. And a lot of times itís taken out of context. If I was pitching now it would be different because I have an obligation to speak with the print media after I pitch and after I do what I get paid to do, but Iím not pitching. And the only thing that was going to happen by talking to the print media over the last couple of weeks was to either A. stick my foot in my mouth or B. get into issues that had nothing to do with what we were doing on the field, so I just felt that it would be best to back off and it seems like the worldís kind of still spinning the same way it was when I stopped talking a few weeks ago so nothingís been hurt.

Larry Johnson: You made about four references in this conversation about the media over exaggerating or making a big deal. Are you unhappy with the way we do our job?

CS: Unhappy? No. I accept it. I accept what you guys do. I understand that talk radio is about ratings. Itís not necessarily about being truthful or getting the exact facts straight. You are what you are, it doesnít make you bad guys. You have a job to do for a living. I think as players, for me anyway, I am always looking for people to be more accountable for what they do as some people are. And as an athlete it gets frustrating, but it is what it is.

Regarding Butch Stearns inference that there were problems between Curt and Pedro last season

CS: Unfortunately, the comments that Pedro made made it look like Butch Stearns was right on the money and nothing could have been farther from the truth at the time they were made. Now I had no idea Pedro felt the way he felt about some of the things that came out but when the comment was made, it was a lie. It was wrong. And Pedro and I actually spoke about it that day and both of us were upset about the fact that it was even made. Our relationship came to be what it was in Pedroís mind on his own. It had nothing to do with me and anybody, Sean (McAdam) you were in the clubhouse, I defended the guy every chance I could. He was a teammate, I liked him, I respected him. I had no problems with him. If he had beefs with me or with what you guys portrayed our relationship to be, that was his beef, not mine.

Glenn Ordway: Could it possibly be that Pedro had different feelings about it and maybe he didnít express them honestly to you at the time? (CS: Absolutely. Absolutely.) It could have been that one of the two of you were in some way jealous of the other, and that there were some feelings there, because clearly when you heard what he said in New York, because those werenít questions being peppered at him, he volunteered that stuff.

CS: Absolutely. Absolutely. But you know what? What it means is Butch Stearns took a stab in the dark and he hit the bullís-eye. He wasnít making the statement based on something he knew, he was guessing. He was right. He guessed right.

GO: Unless he was hearing it from Pedro?

CS: Right. Right. Which is a possibility. I doubt it. But itís certainly possible.

On the media approaching players after the game

CS: Hereís the thing. As a player, if you donít look at this situation, players, media and print media now as it truly is, and the fact of the matter is for the most part, the only factual thing in the newspaper after every single game is the box score. Everything else written has a human element and a point of view added to it. Now that element might be written by a guy who canít stand the player heís writing about. A guy who loves the player heís writingÖ I mean thereís so many things and weíre in a situation now where guys take cheap shots. They say things off the cuff and they joke at our expense and their justification is Ďhey, you get paid $10 million a year, suck it up.í And, you know what? We donít look at it like that. We take that stuff a little bit more personally sometimes than maybe they intend it to be. Having Sean (McAdam), I would tell you that Sean, in the 15 years that Iíve been around the game, Sean gets it like a lot of the good ones do, the Jayson Starks of the world to me, get it. He shoots to put the game first and the human interest stories got some factual basis to it. You know what it is? The problem I have is, Iíll give you an example, a guy like Dan Shaughnessy who is probably an all-pro cheap shot guy. I think Danís a good writer. I think Dan takes unnecessary shots all the time. Dan knows that. Dan knows I feel that way about him. And thatís okay to him (taking cheap shots at everyone). Itís not okay to me. I donít like it. I think itís stupid. I think itís childish but thatís his gig, thatís what people know him for. ÖPlayers donít have a problem being ridiculed for poor performance. Youíre gonna have the player, when youíre young, that will take the vantage point of Ďwho the hell is this guy to criticize me? He never played the game.í At some point you understand thatís his job. I donít have a problem when I donít pitch well and I get called on the carpet for it, itís just all the other crap. What they do, a lot of the writers make the fans believe that that writer has insight and expertise on a subject that he doesnít. These guys donít know us for the most part any more than the fans do. They talk to us more but that doesnít mean they know anything more about us than the fans who are watching the games do. ...Well hereís the thing, if some writer at USA Today can go almost a year filing stories that he never, ever, ever actually researched and studied, and you look at what happened with the Newsweek article, thereís no reason to believe that that doesnít happen in sports either. ÖThe competition here from the media aspect is enormous, but at the same time, weíre on the front page of the newspaper 364 days a year. It is absolutely a phenomenal place to play. You take the good with the bad. But thatís something you have to learn coming here. And sometimes it takes guys longer to adjust to it. And they adjust by either being quiet or talking more, whatever, but it is what it is. I guess my main point was thereís 24 guys in that clubhouse that know Edgar Renteriaís gonna finish the season being the player heís always been and if youíre a fan, you wanna boo, thatís fine, you know boo, but you doubted this team right up to Game 4 of the ALCS last year when we showed you what we were made of and this teamís made up of every bit of that character if not more this year so, weíll get there. Weíre gonna go through the bumps and weíre gonna ride the roller coaster like we did last year and like it happens every year.

"The one thing I realized about Red Sox fans, they're not booing you as a person, they're booing your performance. But when you've never gone through it, you think, 'Wow, these people hate me.' Many times, I'd go out to the bullpen an hour and 15 minutes before the game started, because there were no fans there. If I waited until later, they'd boo me the second I went from the dugout to the bullpen." -- Derek Lowe 4.25.05

"People take the game seriously in Boston. Fans don't come to Fenway Park to chitchat with each other. They come to analyze, critique, cheer and boo, whenever we are bad. And I deserved to get booed." -- Derek Lowe, Sept. 2002

"That (fans screaming) puts you into the game more than anything... but not as much as when they start booing you, which raises you game to a completely different level... it's the booing that keeps us going, makes us want to win so bad it hurts... there are plenty of people on this team that could use more of a booing boost." -- David Ortiz, Oct. 2004, according to a SoSH poster

I don't malice Renteria
He ain't gonna hit the ball
Had $40 million dollars but he
Theo spend it all
If we had Miguel Tejada
Another leader weíd have found
Oh well, I'll pop a note to Tito and heíll move Edgar down.

What I really wanna know
La Russa
mmm What you really want to say
Heís sensitive
Well his glove, that we neeeeed, oh
ER will have to -
Hide till he get back
Find handshake of his own
Tito's gonna love one and all

He hears the boos, hears the boos,
heeeears the boos
And he got to suck it up, oh yea huh
Well I swear that he

What I really wanna know
La Russa
What you really want to say
Heís sensitive
That glove make it go-woh
Rent-a-Wreck will have to...

What he really wanna say
La Russa
What he really wanna say
Is I've got mine
Edgar, will he make it?
oh Yes, Hanley comin' up.

Tell shy guy that if he knows what is good for him
he best go run and hide
Fans got a new No. 45
And they won't think twice to stick that signing straight down Theo's throat
Believe me when I say we could get something for his slumping ass

What I really wanna know
La Russa
What he really wanna say
Heís not the one
Look back, and he'll ma-e-a-e-ake it, yeah
But we will have to wait yeah, yeah, yeah, yeeea, yeah, yeaah

Shonda Schilling Receives Honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree From Framingham State College

Shonda Schilling received an honorary Doctor of Public Service (D.P.S) degree from Framingham State College today. Shonda is a melanoma survivor and has saved lives with her public awareness work for skin cancer prevention. She has also spent countless hours raising money to research a cure for ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

"I am so proud of Shonda. In additional to being a wonderful wife, and mother to our four children, she has been an inspiration to so many young people in taking a tough and frightening personal experience and turning it into a public health campaign that literally saves lives," said Curt Schilling. "This doctorate degree is a great honor but it is well deserved too. Shonda gives so much time, energy and commitment to raising funds for SHADE and raising awareness of the dangers of skin cancer. I am a very lucky man."

In addition to receiving the degree, Shonda Schilling served as the commencement speaker for today's graduation at the Village Green in Framingham.

Over 13,000 sun-safety posters will be judged in the SHADE Foundation of America SunWise Poster Contest. On Monday, May 23, many Red Sox wives will be at Fenway park to select the winning artists. One artist from each New England state will win the chance to meet Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling on June 4th at Fenway Park when the Red Sox host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. One artist selected from the 6 state winners will receive the grand prize and throw out the first pitch prior to that game.

Set Your Tivo: "We've got a kick ass feature airing on Red Sox This Week Sunday night at 10:00pm on UPN38. It's a look back at all of Manny's big HR's throughout his career leading up to 400. We've got some great Cleveland video and seeing a svelte Ramirez is definitely worth tuning into. It's all set to music and NAT calls and should be great when we finish. Hope you like it." -- Brian Fox, CBS4/UPN38 (And don't forget to watch 25 years of Boston Sports with the venerable Bob Lobel on Sports Final Sunday night at 11:30pm on CBS4)

RJ was moved from Friday start and is lined up to face Sox: "Torre said Wang, because of off days Thursday and next Monday, will be passed over in his next start because of a preference to keep the veterans in their normal routines. This means Randy Johnson will pitch Saturday, and not Friday against the Mets and Pedro Martinez. Also factoring into that decision was it would keep Johnson in line to pitch against Boston the following weekend." -- 5.17: Around the Horn, Journal News

"The Red Sox, meanwhile, chose to invest money that might have helped retain Pedro Martinez or Derek Lowe in Renteria. With the signing of David Wells (2-4, 6.75) now looking like an unmitigated disaster, one has to wonder just how judiciously the Red Sox allocated their resources this winter.

"While a more impulsive organization may have looked at what Cabrera did in the second half and postseason last year and compensated him accordingly, the Red Sox and their pragmatic GM Theo Epstein took the long view..." -- Kevin Hench on FOXSports.com

Ask Edes Mailbag on Renteria

"...Edgar's batting average steadily rose on the trip, he had a couple of big hits, and while he's made a few errors, he's made more than his share of outstanding plays, too. The man has a track record as a winner. Give it some time, instead of opting for the snap judgments of the uninformed." -- Gordon Edes Mailbag 5.19.05

Manny Reasons for Ramirez Slump

"I find it astonishing that as of May 18, he was hitting just .237. The lowest his average has been this late into a season was .219, and that was in June, 1994, his first full season in the majors. He told our Chris Snow that he's worried about the health of his mother, but was vague about her condition and described it as arthritis only with prompting. He has used ailing (and dying) relatives before as excuses, so both reporter and reader alike are advised to tread carefully..." -- Gordon Edes Mailbag 5.19.05

Lucchino: "ďIt appears in retrospect they should have (given Wells a rehab start). I guess thereís no question about (it) when you have that kind of rusty performance it sure looks that way... you know itís just a mistake and we made a mistake and now weíve gotta move on and deal with the next game."

Francona: "That wasnít
really ever going to be an issue. He had proven in the past he didnít really
need it."

Larry Lucchino: ďIt appears in retrospect they should have I guess thereís no question about him when you have that kind of rusty performance it sure looks that way. But when youíre dealing with a guy whoís been a 20 year veteran, you cut him a little slack. You give him an opportunity to have some input into his fate and into his rehab schedule. (JD: Larry are you privy to how the dynamic unfolded as they decided whether to have a rehab start? Did Wells perhaps talk Terry out of it? Did they discuss it? Did Theo get involved? Are there other factors in this thing that weíre not aware of?) Well, Iím not privy to all the details, thatís something that the manager works on with the doctors and the trainers principally. I suspect Theo, who was on this road trip this time certainly was a participant in the process in some way, shape, or form. But it really is a manager/medical determination. (Gerry Callahan: I guess the question was, was the team ready for that? ĎCause curiously Jeremi Gonzalez stuck around and was ready to come in quickly. It seemed almost like it was a rehab start against a major league team.) Yeah, well that is the way it played out. Again itís easy to say that in retrospect, but youíve got a guy who has a track record, who knows his abilities and you know itís just a mistake and we made a mistake and now weíve gotta move on and deal with the next game.Ē

On Incentive-Laden Contracts

LL: ďIn certain circumstances I think they work very well. I am not a big
believer in using them across the board but I do believe that in certain
circumstances for example when you are coming off an injury, when thereís some
uncertainty about a playerís performance either for injury or for age or other
factors, I think they do make some sense, itís just pay-for-performance, and
thatís not a bad thing. One thing I am not a believer in is the front office
making any effort whatsoever to monitor how that plays out during the course of
a season. You donít sit here with a chart thatís says Ďoh my gosh, if he does
this, he does that, he gets this. You just canít monitor that, you have to make
sure the managerís decisions are not based on that so you donít make any effort
whatsoever to influence.Ē

On Franconaís Contract

LL: ďDonít be so sure about that (Francona having a World Series victory
clause), he had a set of incentives in his contract there for post-season playÖ
(on Edes story on Franconaís contract) I suppose itís fair comment but our view
is we entered into a contract and if you start renegotiating the contracts of
certain people, like your manager, like the people in the front office because
of superior performance, youíve got a couple of problems. One is that youíre
going to open the floodgates of a bunch of other folks coming in saying well you
did it for ĎXĒ why donít you do it for me. And thatís particularly inappropriate
when you built in this contract certain incentives for post-season performance.

Frank from Gloucester: ďLarry, have you heard anything about David Wells was a
concert the other night there, heís having a great time dancing and enjoying
himself, it was a real party, last Monday nightÖ one of my moles told me that
(discussed on the JT The Brick radio show)?"

LL: ďI have not. Iíve heard nothing about last Monday night (three days ago).
Was he at a concert at the same time that a game is going on Frank? (Concert was
at 8:00pm PT, Sox-Oakland game started at 7:00pm PT)"

On Concerns

LL: ďIím worried about the middle part of the order. Iím worried about David and
Manny straightening themselves out and producing at the heroic levels that they
produced at last year, thatís a factor. Iím worried a little bit about the
teamís personality, when it comes together, how will it come together. It takes
a couple of months every year for the guys to gel, to come together, to create a
kind of collective personality, I donít think that has emerged yet from this
team. I'm worried about Trot Nixon's knee... I guess we gotta worry a little bit about the bullpen, and baseball these
days, has always been based on pitching, but more and more itís based on bullpen
specialization and you worry about the specialists in the bullpen being able to
perform at the levels of last year.Ē

"That's what my contract is, incentive-loaded. But there's nothing I can do. If I could turn back time, I'd do it. But I signed the contract and that's the situation that it's in. I have to deal with it.Yeah, I'm bummed by it. I'm not going to lose any sleep. My health is more important than the money. The money, it's nice to have. But if you're not going to get it from your incentives, then so be it." -- David Wells, who earns an additional $200,000 per start from 11-20 and $300,000 per start from 21-30 (comments made on 4.26.05)

"The Rent signing has the potential of being a $40 million boner ...we have learned over the years that some players simply can not deal with the pressures of playing in Boston while others yearn for a nice 5 year deal in KC ... shy, sensitive, and batting .250 with mediocre defense is not a good recipe. ...it could get ugly." -- fox13weather on SoSH

5.17.05 -- Curt Schilling on with WEEI's Dennis and Callahan:The ankle update Curt: ďUmm, you know, umm I donít know (little chuckle). I donít know. I met with Dr. Theodore last week before we left and Chris Correnti and I got together and I was told that I had another week in the boot Ďtill the end of the trip. It felt better last week which was an improvement. I feel almost like meaningless one because Iím not out there yet. Iím going to get examined again on Friday and the goal will be to go from there. Iím hoping that weíre near being out of it but thereís a lot of work to be done once I get out of the boot. You think about some of the basic concepts of whatís happening, whatís gonna happen going forward. Iíve had a boot on for the past couple of weeks, so my ankle isnít getting any stronger. It was weak when I hurt it to begin with. So Iím not going back out there until itís strong, if not stronger than it was. How we can do that, and how quickly we can do that is going to be the big question. Thereís some discomfort, but nothing like there was. Iím throwing with my short boot on as best I can to keep the arm as best I can so thereís a lot less lag time between being ready next week and getting out there and pitching.Ē

Sandberg: I think the Boston Red Sox outfielder has taken advantage of Fenway Park. He's very comfortable there hitting balls off the Green Monster, and he's been very constant in what he contributes year in and year out with his run production.

(Yo Ryno - Manny played half his career in Cleveland and had more than half his HRs while there (236) .In fact, Manny's best year was 1999 with Cleveland, when he had 44 HRs and 165 RBI! No monster seats at Jacob Field last time I checked!)

Sandberg: At this point of his career, Ramirez reminds me of Jim Rice and Andre Dawson. Both of them hit over 400 home runs in their careers, but they're not in the Hall of Fame yet. Ramirez could have six or seven years left and wind up with 500-plus home runs. At that point, you could talk about Manny as a Hall of Famer. But not now.

(No, Jim Rice only had 382 career HRs. Ryno is right about Manny not being a hall of famer RIGHT NOW, but the guy is only 32 years old. It's stupid to even talk about it or compare him to one guy who never even reached 400 {check your stats next time buddy} and another who limped his way to the plate to get his 400th when he was 38 years old! Jim Rice is an 'almost' HOF'er, with just under 400HRs and just under a .300 batting average {.298}.)
-- Jason Dalrymple, Quincy, MA

Nation Needs to Back Off About the Long Swing, Weak Hits, Slow Running, Bumbling Fielding, Big Contract, and Lack of Leadership from the $40 Million Shortstop

In an excerpt from an interview with WEEIís Dale and Holley, Tony La Russa talks about Renteria's adjustment to Boston and takes a sneaky whack at Edgar: ďI think he (Renteria) comes into this situation, theyíre paying him a lot of money, I think the fans, probably the expectation heís gonna do something like Nomar, in Nomarís vintage years. And I donít know if he can be that productive. Heís a sensitive and shy guy and this is why a lot of us worry about him coming into Boston. You know Boston, thereís a lot of expectation here, the fans are very passionate. And theyíre not going to be as forgiving as they were in St. Louis. So weíre concerned that if he doesnít really play to their expectations and they start hootiní on him, and I know fans donít want to hear this, but it will not help an Edgar Renteria. I think it will hurt his feelings, and Iím just telling you heís a really great guy, heís very good player and I think itís gonna be hard for him to hide here and I think it takes a special type to play in Boston. Somebody who really likes the attention. Not being able to hide will really bother Edgar.Ē

BDD Investigation: Edgar's cousin may have Hay Fever, which would explain the slow start. Stay tuned.

Fans Chip in to Help Feed Tito's Family. Sox Manager is Struggling to Get By on $550,000 Plus an Extra Couple Hundred Thousand as His Share for Winning World Series and More for Appearances and Commercial Endorsements. Sox May Raise Cup of Draft Beer Price to $8.00 So Francona Can Buy a Bigger House. Won't You Help Him Renegotiate His Contract? Please?Cheapskategate: Edes Uncovers Piker Sox Scandal(WEEI's Dale Arnold: "Michael wondered off the air 'Did Tito plant the story?'" Update: Dale "was joking" during that exchange)

Peter Gammons on WEEI's Sunday Baseball Show: "I owe Felgie an apology, I gave him the Mr. Baseball treatment, I wouldn't send him a voicemail I'll say it publicly, I feel badly about that 'cause I get frustrated with this Boston, 'Well Manny Ramirez is the only guy' and hence the Albert Puljols thing. I'm really glad that Chris Snow, who by the way is
phenomenal, did that story today because I asked the manager, a couple of coaches, three of his closest friends, 'What's going on? Is there something that's bothering Manny?' This guy is a hall of fame player, if you take adjusted OPS he's 22nd all time and he's way down off of that since the last All-Star game. And I'm very glad to know what it is because I just haven't sensed that joy that he has when he plays. I don't know if you guys feel the same way but I haven't had the sense this year that he's been as joyous as he's been in the past."

Steve Buckley: "I don't know if joyous is the word for it, but preoccupation is what I've been sensing all season, particularly in left field, there are occasions where he can be on any given day a top left fielder in baseball, but there are too many days when he's not."

PG: "I agree. I don't subscribe to the Manny-being-Manny because I think he's better than that and I know how hard he normally works, just as I don't believe in the canard that he's actually a genius savant. But Manny's a great hitter. At a time when their two veteran starters are hurt, and some other guys have struggled, you kind of look for 'gee will the guys in the middle of that order pick them up?' Now obviously Johnny Damon has been unbelievable and Varitek and Nixon and Ortiz is Ortiz but it's just been something that I sensed that was wrong. He's had some at-bats this last week where he normally is on everything and he looked completely confused by pitches right down the middle of the plate. And I'm glad to know, 'cause he's pretty sensitive about family so, if that's bothering him, he gets a hall pass on that one."

Greg Dickerson: "Where do you rank Manny in terms of great right-handed hitters in the game?"

PG: "I think he's in the top 3 or 4. Pujols is in such a class by himself and the other two guys that rank ahead of him (Manny) if you take all the different adjusted OPSs and all those numbers, Frank Thomas and Bagwell, but they're sort of at the end of their careers. So Manny's can be pretty close to second, in those categories, just as a pure hitter and, no I shouldn't say that, third, because Alex Rodriguez absolutely deserves to be in that group, but he hasn't been. From the All-Star break, that's 112 games to be around .260 and little under .900 OPS, that's way below what Manny does for a living and what he does well. (On the lineup switch) In spring training, they wanted Manny Ramirez to hit fourth because David Ortiz has never been in that fourth position where he gets pitched around and they knew it was going to happen, and he's never been in the position of taking walks the way Giambi and Manny are so good at doing. And Manny was uncomfortable with it, which I found a little strange because he had great numbers hitting cleanup last year, but obviously this was weighing on him and so he postponed that, didn't want to do it, and he's done it now and I think it's clear by doing this that he has said 'OK, I'll trade my comfort for the good of the team' and I think that's really good."

"There was a time when he was a dominant offensive force at the end of games." -- Peter Gammons on Manny Ramirez

(Boston Globe Staff Photo / Jim Davis)

Gammons Says What You've Been Thinking:He's Never Seen Manny So Disinterested

5.12.05 ESPN's Peter Gammons on WEEI's Big Show: "One thing I find interesting, that... and I think he gets, after his early days in Boston, he gets a wonderful ride, but the complete disappearance of Manny Ramirez as a real player. Yeah he hit a home run on the breaking ball yesterday, but he's a .260 hitter with a .880 OPS since the All-Star break last year. Doesn't there come a point where that becomes a little bit of a concern, he gets hit on the leg and doesn't play two games. I don't know. I find him as distracted as any time I can ever remember him... He just doesn't seem to be into the games at all. There was a time when he was a dominant offensive force at the end of games."

Steve Buckley: "And his defense is as lacking now as it's ever been."

Gammons: "I just wonder, this is a long time, same OPS since the All-Star game as Mark Loretta. Is that what you want for $20 million in a left fielder who's a defensive and baserunning liability?...Then they had him traded to the Mets this winter too... There are lot of things, just the way he walks and so forth, they wanted him to hit fourth and not third and he wouldn't do that. I don't know... I'm amazed a little bit that he gets the pass that he gets... maybe it's resignation. I had a fan come up to me at the ballpark and say "how in the world could you not pick Manny as one of the 5 best players in baseball? And I went "umm what?!? Kidding me?" I mean there were other priorities, the qualifications for the other selections were defense, baserunning, accountability, leadership. But I was just amazed, the guy was really angry about it. ...Their best player is their catcher."

(Michael Felger; "Because he brings all those intangibles) "Well he produces too."

Michael Felger: "You can't say he (Varitek) produces on the level of Manny Ramirez, Manny's the best right-handed hitter in the game when he's Manny Ramirez, you can't compare the two..." (talk about great Tek is)

Gammons: "Well he (Tek) understands and accepts responsibility. He's a very intelligent man. And accountability is to me something that's very important in baseball. And I think David Ortiz is an extremely accountable person. He got his contract although he is obviously one of the most underpaid guys in terms of his contract. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Goes out, doesn't brag about it, he's a leader in his own way. He is their, not Manny Ramirez, excuse me Michael you're wrong, David Ortiz is their best offensive player. NO question about it. No comparison. He is a dominant force in the lineup."

Felger: "Because he's hitting better right now but you're saying..."

Gammo: "HE's been better for two years Michael, watch the games. Watch what happens when good pitchers are on the mound. Watch against guys who throw hard, who throw inside. And watch what happens. I'm not talking about garbage time numbers, I'm talking about numbers that mean something."

Felger: "Pete, I'm with you, I'm just.. I'm just saying that I've heard people say it time and time again 'the best right-handed hitter in the game,' that's all I hear about Manny Ramirez, the best right-handed hitter in the game..."

Gammo: "Oh, have you ever heard of Albert Pujols? Don't, don't make a fool of... please that's foolish to say that, that's sad and sort of foolish... it's not worth a discussion. There are only two players in a comparable period of time in HIStory who have the numbers that Pujols does and that's Williams and DiMaggio in their first 4-1/4 seasons. He's the dominant right-handed hitter in modern baseball."

Congratulations Bob Lobel for 25 Years on Channel 4You Can't Turn the Clock Back, But You Can Wind it Up Again!

BDD Exclusive (FOX 25 grabbed the story from here, but gave us no credit): "I have a truly amazing story that happened on my 25th birthday, May 9th, that I think would make a lot of people smile.

"Monday at the Cheesecake Factory where I'm a waitress, Kevin Millar (my favorite Red Sox player) came in with his family and because it was my birthday and because of his hitless streak, I asked him to hit a home run for me on my birthday. He looked at me and said... "I tell you what. If I hit a home run tonight, it will be for you."

"Meanwhile, he has yet to hit a home run all season. So, I go to the game, have amazing seats, 7 innings go by and no home run and I think to myself... "at least you got to meet him, whatever, it's okay...." THEN SLAM!!! KEVIN SENDS ONE INTO THE MONSTAH!!!!! I go nuts. Everyone around me has heard me predict this and is hugging me and high-fiving me. I thought that would be the end of my story but after the game, I wanted him to acknowledge his promise so I wait with 200 other fans outside the players' parking lot for him to come out. The crowd sees him finally and starts going nuts. I start yelling "CHEESECAKE!!!" (haha, I'm a loser, I know, but it was the only way he would recognize me!) Finally, his wife sees me and starts elbowing Kevin who personally starts waving to me and I get passed security. He gives me a big bear hug and says "See. I told you I'd hit a home run for you on your birthday."

"I was wondering if you could do a story on it to show Boston what a down-to-earth, awesome guy Millar is. After my birthday, he is on fire!! It made this Back Bay waitress have the birthday of her dreams." -- Elizabeth Roderick (File under: The Big Tipper)

5.10.05 -- Curt Schilling on with WEEI's Dennis and Callahan: Is the ankle getting better? Curt: "I don't know, I really don't. It's... I have the boot on and the etiquette handed down was to wear the boot around the clock and for an extended period of time and check it every so often and go from there. Is it on like 23 hours a day? Pretty much. Pretty much. I'm gonna keep it on here until the end of the homestand and get it checked here at the end of the homestand and go from there. Does that mean you get out of shape again? Cause I know the hardest thing over the winter was staying in shape Yeah, um I am actually doing two a day right now. Keeping the boot on riding the bike or swimming. Working with Chris Correnti, when I get into the park and later again in the afternoon to kind of speed up the work that I wasn't able to do before. Just trying to make sure that, when we met the other day, one thing I said was that I want to be on the mound the minute I can be but the way it's going now, it might be quicker for me to come back as a middle reliever."

On travelling with the team: "When I get away from the game, that energy that you get from the ballpark you start to lose. And you lose it fast. And getting back into the swing of things takes a long period of time for me. And I don't want to have to do that to get back on the mound. It looks to me now like Wellsey's doing well and he was working while we were gone. He's probably going to be back before me." So you don't think he (Wells) belonged there with you on the bench? No. No, no, no, no, no, no this is an individual thing. He had things set up with one of the therapists here to do his rehab and his work and my concern again was just mentally being kind of still in the thing while I'm not pitching, and that's a priority for me."

5.10.05 -- Curt Schilling on with WEEI's Dennis and Callahan: On Kevin Millar staying over Mientkiewicz Curt: "I was, just given the way things are around here, I was comfortable and I felt pretty sure that Kevin was going to be the last one standing in that one. And then the ball thing happened, and I knew it." On Millar's first home run: "You know what, it's tough. You guys talk about it daily. Hourly. But you still don't think about it as much as we do. One of the grinds of playing here is the media. And having to answer really stupid questions sometimes and dealing with those kind of things on a daily basis and when a lot of times you don't understand is we think about it around the clock every minute, every hour, every day and it was no mystery that our infield had I think two home runs and it's May something, which is pretty amazing considering our record. So yeah, it was bothering him. It's funny, it's one of those things that's funny. Like if somebody in the clubhouse says to me like I'm giving up a touchdown a game, I laugh about that. But if you say it publicly, I don't (BDD gulps). And he's been hearing it from both sides, and to get that out of the way is nice."

Trot Nixon: Underrated, Underappreciated, OverlookedJohnny Damon Keeps Rockin' in Fenway Farewell TourEdgar Renteria and Miguel Tejada Were Not Separated at BirthJust Another Day at the Office for Tim WakefieldManny Plunked Again

"I doubt Mantei--he of the string and twine shoulder and elbow--was coming back in Game 2. So, Meredith ended up there out of necessity, not because they thought he was the right choice.

"I usually don't say "boo" when it comes to in-game mgt. But, I said to myself in Game 1 that it was a better time for Meredith than Mantei. It's not unconscienable, but there's no extra credit for winning the series. The Sox lost a game. But, I agree, a double-header is always a bitch to manage.

"I said it before; we need an upgrade in the pen and until the injuries, I saw Arroyo as a relief-ace type. Halama in the 7th of a tie game is a bad recipe. ...He looks downright dreadful--as overmatched as any pitcher I've seen in a while. Please send him to AA before it's too late. Not AAA, but AA. 13 innings in AA is nothing to base a promotion on; should Pedroia be up then?

"Reminds me of Kirk Bullinger in '99 and he was lights-out over 30 or 40 AA innings and he had the same style, etc. But, Cla is 21 and I am not giving up on him, but this vintage has no business being in MLB. DH3 is 100% correct. ...All I'm saying is it's not nerves at the big-league level; his stuff is not good enough right now. And to use a month of 1-inning stints as a reason for promotion to AAA and then the majors seems imprudent. He threw absolute garbage to every lefty I've seen up--and that's not counting the several walks.

"I could be wrong, of course, but in my opinion he's not someone that can help the Red Sox in 2005 and he's not a relief ace prospect based on his stuff. The track record of minor-league relievers is filled with potholes. He's young and needs more seasoning, but I expected a lot more. Where's the 88-90, the slider, or deception?" -- Paul M., SoSH Dope

Wade Takes the Mound at Fenway Today After Gonzalez Makes His Case to Stay in Boston

Renteria Out for Game 1, Damon Back in Lineup

(Boston Dirt Dogs Photo Illustration / Nick Merrill)

"Wade Miller, I think thatís a great pick up. I got to see him quite often the last couple of years, the only thing thatís stopped him is heís had a couple of freak injuries rather than actual injuries where he needed surgery or what else Iím not sure what the injuries were. Great pitcher, hard thrower. He pitched well against us many times over the last three years." -- 12.22 Matt Clement on Wade Miller

"I liked Indiana because I thought they were the tougher team, their leaders were tougher... the Celtics half court offense was atrocious. One pass, one shot, four guys standing around." -- TNT's Charles Barkley

It Puts the Biscuit in the Basket TonightDon't Hate tha Playah, Hate Today's Game

"Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans (well not for us anyway). Kevin McHale is not walking through that door. Robert Parish is not walking through that door. If they did walk through that door, they would be gray and old." -- The Great Rick Pitino

"The Red Sox, meanwhile, chose to invest money that might have helped retain Pedro Martinez or Derek Lowe in Renteria. With the signing of David Wells (2-4, 6.75) now looking like an unmitigated disaster, one has to wonder just how judiciously the Red Sox allocated their resources this winter.

"While a more impulsive organization may have looked at what Cabrera did in the second half and postseason last year and compensated him accordingly, the Red Sox and their pragmatic GM Theo Epstein took the long view..." -- Kevin Hench on FOXSports.com

Smug Red Sox fan Christopher House, left, with his attorney Matthew J. McCarthy wait for their hearing on their involvement in an altercation with New York Yankees' player Gary Sheffield at the Edward Burke courthouse.

Juvenile court clerk Matthew Donovan, whose father is the Suffolk civil clerk magistrate, leaves the hearing on his involvement in an altercation with New York Yankees' player Gary Sheffield at the Edward Burke courthouse.

Former Red Sox Mr. Jodi Mientkiewicz, Paydro Martinez, and Nelson de la Rosa Get Their World Series Rings in New York

Pedro, Nomar No Longer on Same Path

05.03.05: They always seemed to be headed in the same direction. Their every act on a baseball diamond just another step on the road to Cooperstown. But now their paths have diverged, with one still solidly marching to enshrinement and the other once again rehabbing a serious injury that has the baseball world wondering what his future holds.
Continued on FOXSports.com

"It's just very different and (in) this clubhouse, you've gotta have some guys that can alleviate the, I say this word loosely, the stress, in this game... having guys like McCarty and Kapler and Dave Roberts in the clubhouse... D-Lowe, I mean just real guys that kept it real free and easy."

5.3.05: Listen to Curt Schilling on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan: Gerry Callahan: "Last year in the second half we talked about the intangibles, the certain something this team had, and the players played into that, you heard it all the time that this team just had something going on, does it feel at all like that's gone now, that you got to create a new (environment) if you want to have the kind of season you had last year, that those intangibles cannot carry over from one season to the next?"

Curt Schilling: "Oh they can, they're different. There's a lot of things that are different about this team off the field as much as on. I mean you look at everything that happened after we won last year and all the agendas for different people that happened and... it's different. The attitude outside the clubhouse is different. I think this was the first team I've ever played on, and I've always believed, everybody talks about chemistry and a lot of people that don't play the sport, or don't compete like this for a living, they call chemistry a bunch of crap. And the fact of the matter is before last year I've always said chemistry comes about from winning. You don't have good chemistry from not winning because people don't like each other when they're not winning and things happen in the clubhouse when you're not winning and when we were playing that .500 streak last year our chemistry never changed, never changed. We were the same group of guys, same attitude, same demeanor, same everything. And once it started picking up it was funner (sic) because we were winning but the chemistry never changed."

GC: "You didn't lose anybody to whom you would attibute that, like you lost Pedro obviously and I guess you lost some of the smaller role guys like Dave Roberts but the key guys are back..."

CS: "Yeah, but you know what there's come chemistry guys that aren't here. (GC: Like who?) Gabe Kapler. David McCarty. Both those guys were an enormous part of this team's relief valve. Very, very big parts. And I think Mac is probably as big a part of this clubhouse and this team as anybody on the roster. (GC: So was it a mistake to cut him loose?) Oh, I don't...I'm... I'm just saying it's different. It's just very different and this clubhouse you've gotta have some guys that can alleviate the, I say this word loosely, the stress, in this game. People want to call it a game, and you play a game for a living, but it's a job. Don't kid yourself. It pays well? Sure. But there are the same day-to-day stresses coming in and out and maybe even more so in this market and having guys like McCarty and Kapler and Dave Roberts in the clubhouse... D-Lowe, I mean just real guys that kept it real free and easy."

Hourly Sox Coverage is Not for Everyone

"If you would have said that we were going to be a .500 team at the start of May and our infield was going to have two home runs, I would have thought we'd be playing with 7 or 8 guys on the disabled list. But that's the way it is. It's such a cliche sport but they're so true. You're talking about 162 games. In this town it's so different because the fans ride an enormous emotional roller coaster every game and I think that fever is brought on by the media, and the amount of coverage and the amount of publicity that this team gets on an hourly basis. Players just cannot get caught up in that and that's one of the strengths of playing in another city and it can be a strength here if you can isolate yourself inside that clubhouse and just focus on what you're doing."

Curt's Injury is Bad to the Bone

"It wasnít a bruise, it was a stress reaction, which is a precursor to a stress fracture. Thatís one of the considerations weíre looking at. Thereís some differences of opinion as to exactly what it is and Iím not sure that anybody can be 100% sure unlessÖ the MRIs are not perfect. Weíve done what we can do test-wise, now itís up to how I feel and how they think itís coming along. It was a real sharp pain (after the pitch), and it kind of stayed with me and didnít go away and I knew something had happened and in my gut I thought that maybe I had broken scar tissue, adhesions, or something. I had whatís called an osteochondral defect in the ankle also last year which is what I had dealt with from April on and that was basically a bone bruise that got bad and when you continue to bruise a bone, the bone dies, and part of that bone died and so when they went in there to do one of the surgeries, one of the four surgeries they did was remove part of that bone. And when they do that they go in and they fracture the bone thatís left and let it heal over itself. And things accumulate. And this is a small joint and so thereís a lot going on in there. I think this is a real inexact science from the standpoint of when itís gonna be right. Iím sure itís not overnight, but Iím not that itís 14 days. Thatís why weíre pushing everything else as hard as we can to make sure that I donít fall behind in any other spots. If I can get out and play some catch Iím going to try and do that. Today, or tomorrow, or whenever we think itís right, keep my arm in shape and be ready to go. Thereís a lot going on. Iím wearing the boot around the clock. Iím using the bone stimulator two to three times a day. Getting treatment from Russell at the ballpark. Sue Falsone and Craig Friedman from API out in Phoenix are out to see me and doing some things and Sue was in on the surgery when I had it. Craig is the head of my rehab in the offseason. So weíve got a lot of people going." -- 5.3.05 Curt Schilling on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan

"Milien fired two shots from a pepper-pellet gun that was tucked into his shoulder, aimed at head level. Then voices on the video clip called out, "They hit her in the eye" and ''You [expletive] killed her," as the camera panned toward the sidewalk, where a man in the crowd signaled for help... ''I didn't know what he would be shooting at and I was trying to figure it out," the student said. ''No one was around."

"The video shows that only police were in close proximity to Milien. When the camera pans to the sidewalk, the crowds appear relatively calm, except for those near Snelgrove, calling for help... Chris Borgesani, a freelance cameraman who was nearby, also said the violence had cooled significantly by the time of the shooting." -- 11.13.04 Boston Globe

"There are some small bones in the foot, and he had some torn ligaments in there. [The surgeon] had to fuse the bones together, and the surgery went fine. The foot is getting better and he continues to rehab it, but he's not running on it yet."-- 2.3.05 Olerud's agent, Joe McIntosh

Is Kevin Out?

(Boston Dirt Dogs Photo Illustration / Nick Merrill)

But He's in the Best Shape of His Life

"I've been in the weight room. I've worked as hard as I ever have this offseason, probably the hardest I ever have. I'm in the best shape I've ever been in just because of this whole thing (Mientkiewicz vs. Millar). I'd do pushups just to keep the nights going by." -- Kevin "Home Run" Millar on MLB.com

"Dr. X desn't sell the drugs (THG, a.k.a. the clear) to athletes, though; he prefers to deal with distributors. 'The users can't be trusted, even though they have thier (reputations) to lose because--guess what? They're users. They'll lie, cheat, steal, kill their grandma to get what they want.'...'I know my stuff is the best out there. I hear who's working with who. I know who's winning.'...'Here is this guy (Jason Giambi) with all the money in the world who's taking something you can find at Gold's Gym? You take Deca (a steroid) today and come back in 2006, and you're gonna pop (test positive). A guy on my stuff could walk into the test with a needle in his ass and not worry."... 'If the NFL wants to test for every known steroid, that's more than 100 tests per player--32 teams, 53 players, 100 tests; and they aren't cheap. And that's for known substances. I know there's 10 they don't know about.'" -- 4.25.05 Will Carroll, Sports Illustrated, The Creator (Will Carroll is coauthor of The Juice, which is in stores now)

The ďCurtís Pitch
for ALSĒ program is a joint effort by Curt and Shonda Schilling and The
ALS Association Mass Chapter to strike out Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrigís Disease.

For the fourth consecutive year, SHADE Foundation of America will be represented at the Boston Marathon by a team raising funds for SHADE. SHADE is currently seeking marathon runners to join the team . For more information on running with Shonda Schilling on SHADEís team or sponsoring runners, please visit SHADE's marathon page here.The SHADE Foundation thanks Red Sox Nation for joining in their fight to save future generations from melanoma.